Shukri Abu al-Burghul

Al-Thawra and Radio Damascus

January 3, 2012, in Damascus, Syria

Abu al-Burghul, an editor for the state-owned daily Al-Thawra
and host on the state-owned Radio Damascus, was shot in the head by
unidentified gunmen on December 30, 2011, in his home in the Damascus suburb of
Darya, according to several news reports. He died
of his injuries in hospital four days later.

The journalist, 56, had been working as a state reporter for
over three decades. According to the state-owned television broadcaster, Abu
al-Burghul was shot by "armed terrorist groups." Over the past nine months of
unrest in Syria, the government has routinely blamed killings, unrest, and
other violent acts on armed terrorist groups but has failed to provide evidence
in support of these claims.

Motive Unconfirmed: CPJ is investigating to determine whether the death was work-related.